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Thursday evening a reception was held for artist Derek Guthrie. It was a true highlight in the history of Finlandia’s art program. According to gallery director Carrie Flaspohler, Guthrie is the most prominent artist to be exhibited at Finlandia. Michigan Technological University will also sponsor a lecture by the artist on Monday, September 14, 7:00 p.m., at the M.T.U. Forestry Building Auditorium, Houghton.

The exhibit of work by Derek Guthrie is sponsored by the Finlandia University Gallery, the Finlandia University Campus Enrichment Committee, and Michigan Technological University.

The exhibit is Guthries' first ever as an artist. It is also the first ever joint project by the two local universities. 

The exhibit came about by the meeting of Guthrie and Yueh-mei Cheng, Associate Professor of Studio Arts at Finlandia. The two great artists arranged this amazing exhibit which opened in early August.

Guthrie is a native of Cornwall, England and grew up by the sea, something that would certainly influence his work as an artist.

He became involved in the art world during the time that modern art was on the rise as the “art fad of the day”. Derek spent a lot of time dealing with what he respected as art and what was “selling”. He moved to Chicago and became a writer. He co-founded with his wife, Jane Addams the “New Art Examiner”, an influential art magazine. Guthrie is credited with having helped introduce a new set of writers that would become prominent in their field.

Each year he and his wife did return each year for summer holiday and after retiring from his career at the Examiner in 2001, Guthrie and his wife moved to Cornwall, England, where he began to paint again after a hiatus of many years. “I returned to Cornwall with my late wife, Jane Addams Allen,” Guthrie writes in an essay for a catalog of his work. “This also marked a retreat from our public life as art critics; we were worn out.”

In 2004, Guthrie’s wife died after a long struggle with illness. “This work addresses that coming to terms with a new life in Cornwall, Jane’s death, and my subsequent survival,” Guthrie writes. “I drew strength from the landscape and the mighty force of the sea.”

Guthrie told the Finlandia audience that “beautiful” is a word rarely used to described today’s art. While not an art expert, beautiful, is the exact word that I would use to describe his work. I visited his exhibit three times this summer. Each time I went a way more impressed than the previous visit. Guthrie’s talk to the Finlandia audience was nearly as impressive as his art. I wished that his lecture would not end. He spoke autobiographically, relating to his life as he grew into art. I am unaware if Guthrie has written an autobiography. I hope so. If not, I hope that he considers doing so.

We highly recommend that you make every effort to Derek Guthrie speak at M.T.U tonight.